The present invention relates generally to merchandising display devices and, more particularly, to a barrel-type display device having a removable or changeable decorative covering of an air-inflatable construction.
A variety of devices are known for use as merchandising displays. Such displays are located in retail establishments to present products in such a manner as to attract attention of a potential purchaser. One type of display known as a barrel-type display cooler comprises a bin-like or tub-like structure into which the retail product is loaded and then removed for purchase from the top of the display. Such a display often utilizes a waterproof internal compartment, and may be used for the merchandising of single-serving cans and bottles of beverages. The compartment is partially filled with ice, with the beverage containers being placed into the ice to maintain the product in a cold condition. Examples of such devices may be found, or example, by reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,946,032 and 5,048,171.
Another type of merchandising display is known as a barrel-type refrigerator which uses an electrically operated refrigerating system instead of ice to refrigerate or freeze a food product in an internal food compartment. An example of such a refrigerator is disclosed for example in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/373,962 filed Jan. 16, 1995 and owned by the assignee of the present invention.
Barrel-type display coolers and refrigerators frequently have applied to the external surface thereof some sort of attractive graphics representation in order to catch the attention of a prospective purchaser of the displayed product. Typically, such graphics are applied to the exterior of the display device in the form of a label, decal, panel or other essentially semi-permanent and/or virtually flat form. Where the graphics representation is a product specific label such as the one adhered to the display device and featuring the brand name of a particular beverage, the display device is limited in its use in that it cannot be used for a variety of products. Some of the graphics are changeable. However, those changeable require the display device to have certain retaining means such as a bracket for slidably engaging a graphics panel to removably retain the same on the exterior of the device. Further, these changeable graphics panels can vary the appearance of the device only graphically; they are not capable of changing the shape or contour of the device.
What is needed, therefore, is an easily removable and/or changeable decorative covering which can be used on and in association with the barrel-type display cooler or refrigerator.